Ruth V. Watkins is president of postsecondary education and leads Strada’s collaboration with postsecondary education institutions and nonprofit organizations. Watkins drives the organization’s systems change efforts so more individuals find, pursue, and complete postsecondary education that leads to economic mobility and career opportunity.
Before joining Strada, Watkins built a strong reputation for supporting student success as the 16th president of the University of Utah. She increased degree completion rates and research funding, established innovative models of student support, and built strong partnerships with community and philanthropic partners.
Before she was appointed president, Watkins served as the University of Utah’s senior vice president for academic affairs. Earlier, she spent 20 years in leadership and faculty roles at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, vice provost, and associate provost. Today she serves on the National College Attainment Network board of directors and the Western Governors University board of trustees.
Watkins is president emerita at the University of Utah, which awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2022. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology, and earned a master’s degree and a doctorate at the University of Kansas, where she was a National Institutes of Health predoctoral fellow. Her scholarship focused on communication development and disabilities in young children.
